Local News

When election day rolls around this fall, at least one incumbent says his name will be on the ballot.

Springfield Mayor John W. Cecconi said last week that although he has not filed his paperwork, he does plan to run for re-election for the office he has held since 2006, and has served a total of 17 years.

Slides along several roads in Washington County are not only giving members of the Washington County Fiscal Court some headaches, but once the school year starts later this week, parents and students along one road will also have to deal with re-routing school buses to avoid danger.

A Washington County man and an Illinois woman were both killed as a result of a motorcycle accident.

Roy J. Hood, 63, of 2799 Brush Grove Road, of Willisburg, was riding a 2004 AMF XL motorcycle Sunday evening on Lawrenceburg Road in Nelson County. According to a report by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department, Hood was traveling east when the motorcycle left the road and struck a culvert, sending the motorcycle into the air. Hood and a passenger, Connie L. Johnson, 57, of Sycamore, Ill., were thrown from the bike and landed in a ditch.

The animals may be dead, but the issue of their removal is another question. The Washington County Fiscal Court is once again revisiting the issue of dead animal removal. A few months ago, the county started composting dead animals instead of using a pickup service. Before, the county contracted with Dead Animal Removal Service, Inc., but since DARS owner Henry Mattingly died in December 2009, several complaints have come in, prompting the county to look for an alternative.

The Washington County Public Library offers more than just books these days. It also provides residents with computer access, CD and DVD checkout, language software, and even job and entrepreneurial resources. An increase of patrons, along with a lack of space, are prompting the library to look into moving to a new, more-spacious location.

New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future will host the third annual Farmers Market Jamboree from 5-8:30 p.m. at the old depot in Springfield on Friday, July 30. The event is a celebration of local food, products and music that promotes healthy living and communities. Various vendors will offer locally-produced products including vegetables, fruits, meats, honey, wines and crafts.

There are several new faces in some new places as the 2010-11 school year approaches. The Washington County School District has announced that several key administrative positions have been filled in schools across the district.

The most recent hire was that of DeVona Hickerson as principal of Washington County Elementary School. Hickerson was introduced last Friday, and her staff continues to be filled around her.

A four-vehicle accident Friday morning on US 150 between Bardstown and Springfield has claimed the life of Victor Walters, 45, of Elizabethtown.

Walters was killed when the 2001 Honda he was driving was hit by a tractor-trailer driven by Stephen Sizemore, 54, of Somerset. According to a report by Kentucky State Police, Sizemore had fallen asleep at the wheel of the 1999 Peterbilt semi truck.

The doors of Hammer Chevrolet have closed. The lights are off, the sign is gone, and the lot is empty.

General Motors officially closed the Springfield dealership Tuesday, July 13, according to Eddie Franklin, a Columbia, Ky., based auto dealer who had been managing the local dealership for Hammer recently.